Post-Secondary Pathways
Public education has never been more critical to ensuring economic mobility and future success.
A college degree is increasingly important for promoting economic mobility. While much of the post-secondary policy attention is focused on college attendance, there are significantly larger disparities in college completion rates. Students living in areas with high poverty rates disproportionately face challenges to success in college, including access to a high-quality high school education with a strong college-bound culture, guidance in navigating complex college admissions and financial aid processes, and a lack of additional supports necessary to help them persist. While 76% of CPS first-year students aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree, it is estimated that only 18% will do so within ten years of starting high school.
The Education Lab is working in partnership with CPS and college success providers in Chicago to identify and co-design supports to support CPS students–especially Options students–to achieve their post-secondary aspirations in college and career.
Post-Secondary Pathways
The Education Lab partnered with Chicago Public Schools to help implement and pilot interventions aiming to support the post-secondary career and education outcomes in Chicago schools where students face significant challenges.
Post-Secondary Champions
The Education Lab partnered with Chicago Public Schools to help implement a program embedding post-secondary advisors in schools to provide personalized supports for students’ post-secondary career and education outcomes.
Embedded Analysts
The Education Lab provides technical assistance to support Chicago Public Schools in using data analysis to answer key questions and guide daily decisions.
Genesys Works
The Education Lab is evaluating the impact of Genesys Works, an education and workforce development program that aims to improve high school achievement, college enrollment, college persistence, employment, and earnings.
Latest Updates
A restorative approach to student discipline shows promise in reducing suspensions and arrests
Suspensions are a common form of official discipline implemented in American schools, but can alternative approaches prove effective in reducing harmful student behavior?
UChicago Education Lab leaders on NAEP scores: It’s worse than you think but there is a solution
The latest NAEP scores are devastating—but as bad as they are, the real problem is even bigger. Test scores have been declining since 2013 and then got exponentially worse during the pandemic. What is going on?
Jens Ludwig: Parents of private school students like the Lab School are also worried about the future of education
Education Lab faculty co-director Jens Ludwig pens and op-ed about parents’ concerns with America’s public schools.
